System and method to estimate resource allocations for a project

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a resource estimation tool may be provided for a project, such as a complex financial services project, to be performed in a series of project phases. Initially, a set of pre-determined tasks for the project may be automatically determined, each task being associated with one or more of the project phases. Moreover, a default estimated resource allocation value may be assigned to each task in connection with each project phase. According to some embodiments, a project size input may be received, and a spreadsheet application formula may automatically adjust the default estimated resource allocation values associated with all tasks based on the project size input. An overall project resource allocation estimate may then be output based on the adjusted default estimated resource allocation values for all tasks across all project phases.

1 . A system associated with a resource estimation tool for a financial services related project to be performed in a series of financial services related project phases, comprising:
 a communication device to receive a financial services related project size input;   a computer processor for executing program instructions; and   a memory, coupled to the computer processor, for storing program instructions for execution by the computer processor for:
 automatically determining, based solely on a project type, a set of pre-determined tasks for the financial services related project from a database of pre-determined tasks, each task being associated with one or more of the financial services related project phases; 
 assigning, from a database of default allocations, a default estimated resource allocation value to each task in connection with each financial services related project phase; 
 adjusting the default estimated resource allocation value associated with each task based solely on the project size input, by applying a single pre-defined percentage amount to each default estimated resource allocation value for each task, thereby generating an adjusted estimated resource allocation value for each task; and 
   calculating an overall financial services related project resource allocation estimate based on the adjusted estimated resource allocation value for each task across all financial services related project phases.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores program instructions for execution by the computer processor for:
 receiving an indication that a particular task will not be performed for the financial services related project;   responsive to the indication, setting the adjusted estimated resource allocation values to zero for the particular task in all financial services related project phases; and   re-calculating, responsive to the setting of the adjusted estimated resource allocation values to zero for the particular task in all financial services related project phases, the overall financial services related project resource allocation estimate.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores program instructions for execution by the computer processor for:
 receiving a task complexity input comprising one of a simple complexity or a medium complexity for a particular task;   responsive to the task complexity input, adjusting the adjusted estimated resource allocation values for the particular task in all financial services related project phases by applying a single pre-defined percentage amount to each adjusted estimated resource allocation value for the particular task; and   re-calculating, responsive to the adjusting of the adjusted estimated resource allocation values for the particular task in all financial services related project phases, the overall financial services related project resource allocation estimate.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores program instructions for execution by the computer processor for:
 receiving an override value and override justification associated with a particular task, the override value representative of an estimated resource allocation value associated with prospective performance of the particular task;   responsive to the override value, replacing the adjusted estimated resource allocation value for the particular task with the override value; and   re-calculating, responsive to the replacing of the adjusted estimated resource allocation value for the particular task with the override value, the overall financial services related project resource allocation estimate.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the financial services related project size input is received as a user selection from a list of project sizes including small, medium, and large selections, and wherein adjusting the default allocation values associated with all tasks responsive to receipt of a small project size input comprises reducing by a spreadsheet application formula the default estimated resource allocation values associated with all tasks by the pre-defined percentage amount. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the financial services related project size input is received as a user selection from a list of project sizes including small, medium, and large selections, and wherein adjusting the default allocation values associated with all tasks responsive to receipt of a large project size input comprises increasing by a spreadsheet application formula the default estimated resource allocation values associated with all tasks by the pre-defined percentage amount. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one financial services related project phase is associated with at least one of: (i) preliminary analysis, (ii) requirement definition, (iii) solution design, (iv) financial services related project development, (v) testing, (vi) implementation, and (vii) post-implementation performance. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the financial services related project is associated with at least twenty tasks, including at least one of: (i) task definition, (ii) task documentation, (iii) product selection, (iv) requirement strategy, (v) a business requirement document, (vi) a system requirement document, (vii) a business process workflow, (viii) system use cases, (ix) functional specification document, (x) data source identification, (xi) data mapping, (xii) consulting, (xiii) quality assurance testing, (xiv) user acceptance testing, (xv) production release, and (xvi) warranty support. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the default estimated resource allocation values are associated with at least one of: (i) work hours, (ii) monetary amounts, or (iii) business analyst resources. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores program instructions for execution by the computer processor for:
 receiving a level of experience input for a particular task;   responsive to the level of experience input, adjusting the adjusted estimated resource allocation values for the particular task in all financial services related project phases; and   re-calculating, responsive to the adjusting of the adjusted estimated resource allocation value based on the level of experience input, the overall financial services related project resource allocation estimate based on the estimated resource allocation values for all tasks across all financial services related project phases.   
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method associated with a resource estimation tool for a project to be performed in a series of project phases, comprising:
 automatically determining, by a computer processor and based solely on a project type, a set of pre-determined tasks for the project, each task being associated with one or more of the project phases;   assigning, by a computer processor, a default estimated resource allocation value to each task in connection with each project phase;   receiving, by a computer processor, a project size input;   adjusting by a computer processor, by a spreadsheet application formula based solely on the project size input, the default estimated resource allocation values associated with all tasks by applying a single pre-defined percentage to each estimated resource allocation value associated with each task; and   outputting, by a computer processor, an overall project resource allocation estimate based on the adjusted default estimated resource allocation values for all tasks across all project phases.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication that a particular task will not be performed for the project;   responsive to the indication, setting the adjusted estimated resource allocation values to zero for the particular task in all project phases; and   re-calculating, responsive to the setting of the adjusted estimated resource allocation values to zero for the particular task in all project phases, the overall project resource allocation estimate.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving a task complexity input comprising one of a simple complexity or medium complexity for a particular task;   responsive to the task complexity input, adjusting the adjusted estimated resource allocation values for the particular task in all project phases by applying a single pre-defined percentage amount to each adjusted estimated resource allocation value for the particular task; and   re-calculating, responsive to the adjusting of the adjusted estimated resource allocation values for the particular task in all financial services related project phases, the overall project resource allocation estimate.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving an override value and override justification associated with a particular task, the override value representative of an estimated resource allocation value associated with prospective performance of the particular task;   responsive to the override value, replacing the adjusted estimated resource allocation value for the particular task with the override value; and   re-calculating, responsive to the replacing of the adjusted estimated resource allocation value for the particular task with the override value, the overall project resource allocation estimate.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the default estimated resource allocation values are associated with at least one of: (i) work hours, (ii) monetary amounts, or (iii) business analyst resources. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a computer processor to perform a method associated with a resource estimation tool for a complex insurance financial services project to be performed in a series of project phases, the method comprising:
 automatically determining, based solely on a project type, a set of pre-determined tasks for the complex insurance financial services project from a database of pre-determined tasks, each task being associated with one or more of the project phases;   assigning, from a database of default allocations, a default estimated resource allocation value to each task in connection with each project phase;   receiving a project size input;   adjusting, by a spreadsheet application formula based solely on the project size input, the default estimated resource allocation values associated with all tasks by applying a single pre-defined percentage to each default estimated resource allocation value associated with each task, thereby generating an adjusted estimated resource allocation for each task; and   outputting an overall project resource allocation estimate for the complex financial services project based on the adjusted estimated resource allocation values for all tasks across all project phases.   
     
     
         17 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving an indication that a particular task will not be performed for the complex financial services project;   responsive to the indication, setting the adjusted estimated resource allocation values to zero for the particular task in all project phases; and   re-calculating, responsive to the setting of the adjusted estimated resource allocation value to zero for the particular task in all financial services related project phases, the overall project resource allocation estimate.   
     
     
         18 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a task complexity input comprising one of a simple complexity or a medium complexity for a particular task;   responsive to the task complexity input, adjusting the adjusted estimated resource allocation values for the particular task in all project phases by applying a single pre-defined percentage amount to each adjusted estimated resource allocation value for the particular task; and   re-calculating, responsive to the adjusting of the adjusted estimated resource allocation values for the particular task in all financial services related project phases, the overall project resource allocation estimate.   
     
     
         19 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving an override value and override justification associated with a particular task, the override value representative of an estimated resource allocation value associated with prospective performance of the particular task;   responsive to the override value, replacing the adjusted estimated resource allocation value for the particular task with the override value; and   re-calculating, responsive to the replacing of the adjusted estimated resource allocation value for the particular task with the override value, the overall project resource allocation estimate.   
     
     
         20 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein the default estimated resource allocation values are associated with at least one of: (i) work hours, (ii) monetary amounts, or (iii) business analyst resources.